Jake Johnson and Charlyne Yi Talk About their New Movie Paper Heart!

"Actor Jake Johnson and actor Michael Cera are just friends!" Laughs Jake himself, "I want that breaking news inSeventeen." We began our discussion with Charlyne Yi and Jake with some of the rumors that have surrounded their new movie, Paper Heart. Although Michael and Charlyne may play themselves in the half documentary/half fictional narrative, the two are not a couple off-screen. "We're not dating," says Charlyne, "We were always friends, before, during and after. We have a good connection. Jake and I have a really good connection too. [Michael and Jake] have a good connection, a really good connection. Oh my god." Their comfort with each other is evident from their banter.

"The rumors are not true about Michael and I." States Jake, "We are just friends."

"They did not make out," adds Charlyne.

You may know her from Knocked Up, but Charlyne is also a comedian, writer, musician, artist and impetus behind Paper Heart, which explores the many perspectives of love. The movie will have a limited opening this August 7th, and will be in theaters everywhere August 14.

17: What's your advice for someone who wants to make a documentary or a film?

Charlyne: Luckily I had representatives. But I know, even having representation, it was a struggle in itself. I remember pitching this idea, just the documentary portion without the narrative to them years ago. I think being really persistent and not giving up even though someone doesn't like the idea. You have to say, "No, this is what we're doing, because it's going to be amazing!"

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Jake: Also, perform. That was one thing Charlyne did, something I did. Nick did it with shooting stuff. People ask, "How'd you do it?" and the answer is make stuff.

Charlyne: Yes, constantly.

Jake: Whatever city you're in, find a theater and put on a play or shoot a video. With technology now, you can get a camera for a hundred bucks on your phone. So, make a video and put it online.

Charlyne: So many people get deals, so many YouTubers get scripts and things made because they're constantly creating things on their own. Even if it's really cheap and it's really simple, if it's just good in itself then that's all that matters.

17: How did you prepare for shooting?

Charlyne: I think we all learned as we went.

Jake: We went to Universal, just the four of us [Director Nick Jasenovec, Michael Cera, Charlyne Yi and Jake Johnson].

Charlyne: Oh Yeah! We went to Universal Studios. It was the first time we all hung out together, and so we went on an adventure.

Jake: We joked around and got to know each other. In terms of a script, there was only a five page outline. A lot of it depended on everyone's interaction and being a group. So, before we started shooting, we got the tickets to Universal Studios in L.A. and spent a whole day goofing around and seeing if the group worked as a unit.

Charlyne: The first time me, Jake and Nick all worked together was doing a staged version of ET, the play. He played Elliot and I played ET, and Nick directed it.

17: How do you think your comedy background helped you with this projec?

Charlyne: I do a little improv in my shows. Kind of like our movie, I'll do beats and ideas of dialogue, but I think there's less pressure because it's a live show. If you mess up, the audience laughs because we don't really know what we're doing. But as far as shooting, that was very scary, trying to make a point and drive the film. It definitely helped improvising.

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Jake: It was easier to be more natural. We didn't have lines we had to know, we just had an emotion or a line we had to get towards. Nick, our director, allowed us to do a lot of takes. He wanted the tone of the narrative to feel as close to a documentary as possible.

17: How was filming on the road?

Jake: It was great, it was challenging. If felt like a road trip, because it really was one. We went from L.A. to New York, and met people and shot along the way.

Charlyne: It was really intense. We'd be shooting in the middle of a forest where it was raining, shooting guns. Then soon after that we'll go in soaking wet, drenched and smelling bad with mud on our feet and drive ten hours. We were constantly moving forward with the film, and moving forward as people across America.

17: Why should Seventeen readers go see Paper Heart?

Jake: Charlyne Yi! I think what a lot of young women like about this movie is its protagonist. She's a musician, and an artist and unsure, but it's OK to be unsure. It's her journey.

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